Direction control



June 1s, 1963 R L COCHRAN ETAL 3,093,965

DIRECTION CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 21, 1961 and WILLlAm N. ENGEL wmf, @l/MIM zaf/fqw.

June 18, 1963 R. L. COCHRAN ETAL 3093965 DIRECTION CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2l, 1961 INVENTOR. RICHARD L. CocHRAN B and Wmmm N ENGEL l (m ,/wM/Jr//Z///l/a fomeys'.

Mmm.

United States Patent O 3,093,965 DIRECTION CONTROL Richard L. Cochran and William N. Engel, Indianapolis,

Ind., assignors to The Buehler Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Aug. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 132,644 2 Claims. (Cl. 60-3554) The present invention relates to jet propelled water craft and more particularly to a means for controlling the direction of such craft.

At least one form of water jet-propelled boat involves an engine arranged to drive a pump which is located within a conduit through the boat. Water is drawn into the conduit through an intake opening at the bottom of the boat, is forced through the conduit by the pump and is exhausted in a stream from the rear of rthe boat, the stream leaving the boat above the Water Within which the `boat is floating or is supported. The propulsion principle depends upon the physical law providing that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Thus, as water is ejected astern, the boat moves forward.

One problem present in the construction and operation of such water jet-propelled boats is that of controlling the direction of movement of the boat where-by the boat moves forwardly, rearwardly or retains position. This control may be accomplished by deflecting the stream of water as it leaves the rear of the boat in such a manner as to cause the stream to ow forwardly of and beneath the boat. A primary object of the present invention is to provide improved means for controlling the direction of movement of a jet boat.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a jet boat direction control permitting steering of the boat while the boat is moving rearwardly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a jet boat direction control which is relatively compact and does not require lengthy travel distances of the moving parts thereof.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a jet boat direction control which is of simple and inexpensive construction, yet is durable and ecient in operation.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of the present invention comprises a direction control system for water craft including means for moving 'water in a jet from an aperture in the rear of said craft, a downwardly opening housing secured to the rear of said craft and positioned to that the aperture opens into said housing, said housing having a rearward opening in registry with the aperture in the rear of said craft, a gate having a concave forward surface and a passage leading horizontally from said forward surface through said gate, said gat-e being vertically movable in said housing between a first position wherein said passage is in registry with said aperture and opening and said gate is completely within said housing and a second position wherein said gate is blocking said opening and is extending below said housing.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a jet boat incorporating the novel direction control of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of -the direction control of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 3.

frice FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken along the line 5 5 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawing and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art `to which the invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a jet boat 10 having a hull 11, the hull being provided with an intake opening 12 communicating between the bottom of the boat and a pump 13. The pump 13 has a passage therethrough communicating between the intake opening 12 and a duct 15 leading through the transom 16 of the boat. The pump 13 is driven by a conventional marine engin-e 14 through shaft 14A and functions to pump water from the intake 12 to and out of the rear of the boat. The water is formed into a jet stream by the converging portion 17 of the duct 1S.

Fixed to the transom 16 is a housing 20, a primary function of which is to contain a gate 21 which is movable within the housing and through the opening 22 at the bottom of the housing to various positions. There is provided a hydraulic cylinder 25 lixedly mounted upon an extension 26 from the housing for vertically moving the gate 21 within the housing, said cylinder having its piston rod 27 secured to an extension 30 fixed to the rear plate 31 of the gate.

The gate 21 comprises a pair of parallel, generally rectangular, vertically extending side plates 32 which have the rear plate 31 xed therebetween. Rotatably mounted upon the outside surfaces of the side plates 32 are two pairs of rollers 35 which are received within vertically extending indentations 36 in the inside lateral faces 37 of the housing 20. As the gate 21 is moved upwardly and downwardly within the housing 20, the rollers 35 roll along the surfaces 40 of the indentations 36 insuring relatively free movement of the gate.

The forward plate 41 of the housing 20 has an aperture 42 therein which is circular in shape and receives duct 15. The housing 20 is formed with an opening 4S of generally the same size as the exit end of the duct 15 `and in alignment with the duct 15 so that the Water jet being exhausted from the duct may pass directly rearwardly through a passage 46 in the rear plate 31 of the gate directly rearwardly of the boat.

It will be noted that the gate 21 as illustrated in FIG. 3 is just about at the upward limit of its travel almost in contact with the top plate 47 of the housing 20. When in this position, the gate 21 is completely received within the housing and does not project therebelow through the opening 22 in the bottom of the housing. Since the housing 20 does not project below the bottom 49 of the boat, the forward movement of the boat is not impeded by the housing or by the gate 21 when it is in the illustrated position of FIG. 3. lt should also be mentioned that the housing 20 is completely sealed except for openings 46 and 22 and a suitable slot permitting movement of extension 30.

When it is desired to cause the boat to move rearwardly or to retain its position, the gate is moved downwardly by means of the hydraulic cylinder 25. The rear plate 31 of the gate is lixed to the side plates adjacent their rearward edges and thus, the intermediate portion 50 of the rear plate through which the passage 46 extends is always positioned just adjacent the rear plate 51 of the housing. An annular collar 52 is fixed to the housing so as to bear against the rear plate 51. Thus, when the gate is moved downwardly to such a position that the passage 46 is below the opening 45 in the housing, the annular collar engages the rear plate 51 of the housing1 to seal olf any movement of water through the passage 46.

The rear plate 31 has upper and lower end porti-ons S2 and 55, respectively, which curve smoothly forwardly from the intermediate portion 50 of the rear plate and which terminate at the forward edges 56 of the side plates 32. It can be appreciated that, when the gate is moved downwardly to a positio-n wherein the passage 46 is blocked by the rear 51 of the housing, the upper endward portion 52 of the rear plate will be positioned directly rearwardly of the aperture 42 whereby water flowing into the housing will be guided downwardly through a closed passage formed by the gate and the front plate 41 of the housing. This water will be maintained under pressure because of the closed nature of the passage and will be deected forwardly beneath the bottom 49 of the boat by means of the forwardly curving endward portion 55 of the gate. When the gate is in such a position, the forward movement of the water stream beneath the boat causes rearward movement of the boat.

If it is desired to cause the `boat to retain position or to move slowly forwardly or slowly rearwardly, the gate 21 may be positioned between the above mentioned two positions so that a portion of the water is deflected forwardly by the rear plate 31 and a further portion of the water is permitted to move through the passage 46 and opening 45. As long as a certain portion of the water passes through the opening 45, the boat may be steered by deflectors 56 and S7.

These deliectors are pivoted about shafts 60 mounted on rearward extensions 61 and 62 iixedly secured with relation to the housing 20. The deiiectors are controlled by a lever 65 fixed to the upper end 66 of a shaft 67 pivoted upon the extension 62 and a further extension 70 extending from the housing 20. The lower end 71 of the shaft 67 is fixed to a rearwardly extending member 72 pivoted at its distal end 75 to a link 76 pivoted at opposite ends 77 t0 the rearward portions of the deflectors 56 and 57.

When the lever 65 is swung about the axis of the shaft 67, the deliectors 56 and 57 are both pivoted about the axes of shafts 60. It will be noted that the forward ends 78 of the deflectors project forwardly of the axes 60. Therefore, when the deflectors are so swung, water exhausting from the opening 45 will strike one or the other forward portions producing a moment tending to cause the particular deector to be pivoted even further into the jet stream. Thus, the forwardly extending portions 78 of the deectors aid the steering of the boat by decreasing the force necessary to turn the boat. Of course, when the forward portion of one of the dellectors 56 or 57 is in the jet stream, the rearward portion of the other deflector will also be in and dellecting the jet stream because the mechanical link 76 causes the deflectors to move together.

From the above description, it will be evident that the present invention provides an improved means for controlling the direction of movement of a jet boat. It can also be seen that the present direction control is relatively compact and does not require an extreme amount of travel of the gate 21 between its various operating positions. It should also be clear that the direction control of the present invention is simple and inexpensive in construction and yet is durable and e'icient in operation.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and `foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of 'the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

l. A direction control system for water craft comprising means for moving water in a jet from an aperture in the rear of said craft, a housing secured to the rear of said craft and covering the aperture, said housing having an open bottom and a rearward opening located in alignment with said conduit, a gate having an intermediate portion which extends vertically and is located in the rear of the housing, said intermediate portion having a passage therethrough of approximately the same size as said aperture and opening, said passage opening into the interior of the gate, said gate having upper and lower end portions which curve forwardly `from said intermediate portion, said gate being vertically movable between an upper position wherein said passage is in alignment with said opening and aperture and said gate is completely within said housing and a lower position wherein said housing blocks passage of water through said passage and the rear plate guides the water of said jet downwardly and forwardly of the craft, and deector means mounted on said craft and operable to deliect horizontally water issuing from the rearward opening of said housing.

2. A direction control system for water craft comprising means for moving water in a iet from an aperture in the rear of said craft, said means including a generally straight conduit extending rearwardly and terminating with said aperture, a housing secured to the rear of said craft and covering the aperture, said housing having an open bottom and a rearward opening located in alignment with said conduit, a gate comprising a pair of parallel generally rectangular side plates and a rear plate connecting said side plates, said rear plate having an intermediate portion which extends vertically and is located adjacent the rearward edges of said side plates, said intermediate portion having a passage therethrough of approximately the same size as said aperture and opening, said passage opening into the interior of the gate, said rear plate having upper and lower end portions which curve forwardly from said intermediate portion, rollers rotatably mounted on the side plates, said housing having vertically extending recesses receiving said rollers whereby said gate is vertically movable in said housing, said gate being vertically movable `between an upper position wherein said passage is in alignment with said opening and aperture and said gate is completely `within said housing and a lower position wherein said housing blocks passage of water through said passage and the rear plate guides the water of said jet downwardly and forwardly of the craft, said craft being formed to allow the unimpeded passage of the water in a direction generally forwardly of the craft and therebeneath, and a pair of deilectors pivotally mounted on said craft on opposite sides of said aperture, said deiiectors being swingable horizontally to deflect the water in said jet after it leaves said rearward opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,007,305 Hamilton Nov. 7, 1961 3,030,909 Barnes et al Apr. 24, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 63,447 Denmark Apr. 30, `1945 188,683 Germany Aug. 5, 1907 118,8115 New Zealand Feb. 26, 1959 (patent abstract) OTHER REFERENCES Robberson: Wet Jet Propulsion, Yachting Magazine, vol. 106, No. 5, pages 70-71, Nov. 1959. 

1. A DIRECTION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR WATER CRAFT COMPRISING MEANS FOR MOVIANG WATER IN A JET FROM AN APERTURE IN THE REAR OF SAID CRAFT, A HOUSING SECURED TO THE REAR OF SAID CRAFT AND COVERING THE APERTURE, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN OPEN BOTTOM AND A REARWARD OPENING LOCATED IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID CONDUIT, A GATE HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION WHICH EXTENDS VERTICALLY AND IS LOCATED IN THE REAR OF THE HOUSING, SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION HAVING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF APPROXIMATELY THE SAME SIZE AS SAID APERTURE AND OPENING, SAID PASSAGE OPENING INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE GATE, SAID GATE HAVING UPPER AND LOWER END PORTIONS WHICH CURVE FORWARDLY FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION, SAID GATE BEING VERTICALLY MOVABLE BETWEEN AN UPPER POSITION WHEREIN SAID PASSAGE IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID OPENING AND APERTURE AND SAID GATE IS COMPLETELY WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND A LOWER POSITION WHEREIN SAID HOUSING BLOCKS PASSAGE OF WATER THROUGH SAID PASSAGE AND THE REAR PLATE GUIDES THE WATER OF SAID JET DOWNWARDLY AND FORWARDLY OF THE CRAFT, AND DEFLECTOR MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID CRAFT AND OPERABLE TO DEFLECT HORIZONTALLY WATER ISSUING FROM THE REARWARD OPENING OF SAID HOUSING. 